House of the Week: $850,000 for a quirky Victorian townhome in Cabbagetown
ADDRESS: 458 Ontario Street
NEIGHBOURHOOD: Moss Park
AGENT: Lance and Brenda Van Der Kolk, RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd., Brokerage
PRICE: $849,000
THE PLACE: A Victorian semi that oozes character, with exposed brick, original hardwood, an antique Victorian fireplace, claw-foot tubs, stained-glass windows and a rustic old-fashioned oven.
BRAGGING RIGHTS: This house comes with a story. Prospective buyers are shown a letter from the home’s current owners, a pair of U of T professors who have lived there for 16 years. In the letter, they describe their wonderful years in the house and the neighbourhood, and the sadness they feel at leaving (they’re moving to be closer to their son’s school).
BIG SELLING POINT: Cabbagetown is one of the city’s most coveted neighbourhoods. Cafés, restaurants, gourmet food shops and boutiques line the nearby streets, and Riverdale Farm and Allan Gardens are within walking distance.
POSSIBLE DEAL BREAKER: The basement—great for storage, but it looks somewhat scary.
BY THE NUMBERS: • $849,000 • $3,678.61 in taxes (2012) • 3 storeys • 3 bedrooms • 2 bathrooms • 2 decks • 2 upper balconies • 1 original Victorian fireplace • 1-car laneway parking
